Texas Tech prepares for an extremely talented NC State offense

Well Tech fans, the Red Raiders are 2-0 coming off a ranked win at home against Houston, and now they prepare for a very good NC State team.

I’m gonna introduce you to the Wolfpack offense and some of their weapons. This is a very underrated group and one that is going to be at the top of the ACC, just like they were last season.

Starting with their top weapon, look no further than QB Devin Leary. Entering the season, Leary was looked at as an under-the-radar Heisman candidate and while he didn’t start the way he wanted to against East Carolina, he is still one of the best QBs in the ACC.

Last season Leary broke out and really put the nation on notice, going 283/431 with 3,433 yards, 35 TDs and just 5 interceptions. He really cut down on turnovers and was a very efficient passer. He had 6 games of passing for 300+ yards and also tossed 4+ TDs in 5 games. Leary when given time has been elite and was one of the sole reasons for the Wolfpack success last season.

Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Wolfpack return 2 of their top receivers from last season in Devin Carter and Thayer Thomas. Thomas caught 51 passes for 596 yards and 8 TDs last season while Carter also chipped in with 31 catches for 556 yards and 6 TDs. This NC State passing attack is really spread out though, and you could see 6-to-7 different pass catchers each game. Leary is just really good at finding open guys, no matter who it is.

Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The run game is the biggest question mark for the NC State offense. It was very inconsistent last season due to some below average run blocking and no one really emerged as an elite runner. This season they’ve had a fairly balanced attack, splitting carries between Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and Jordan Houston. Last season, Sumo-Karngbaye didn’t see much work, but Houston has been a consistent runner for the Wolfpack since 2019. 2019 was Houstons best season, running 101 times for 526 yards and 2 TDs. He saw limited action in 2020 and 2021, but is back running for NC State.

This running game isn’t anything to write home about, but it isn’t something Tech can just disregard. NC State will try to use the run to loosen up the Red Raider secondary to make things easier for Leary, the question is, will it work? Techs secondary looked much improved vs Houston and they will make life difficult for Leary and the Wolfpack, especially if they can’t muster up some type of run game.

Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

This game is going to be a great test for the Texas Tech defense and will help prepare them for a grueling Big 12 schedule. Leary could very well be the best QB Tech sees this season, and the Red Raiders will face him in a tough environment in North Carolina. This game should be fun, and we will learn a lot about Tech in this game.